3 Tips Before Choosing Hardwood Flooring

While that sounds like you’ve got everything all figured out, this decision has actually opened a whole bunch of doors to a whole bunch of questions…To spare you of that awful, overwhelming feeling, we’ve collected three very important questions you should ask in order to keep things organized and on the right track!

Where will the hardwood floors be installed?Different wood flooring can be used for different levels of your home. For example, if you are looking to install hardwood floors in your basement, you will want to look at engineered wood as opposed to solid wood.

So…what’s the difference between solid wood floors and engineered wood floors?Solid wood is exactly what its name implies: a solid piece of wood. Its thickness can vary, but generally ranges 3/4” to 5/16”. This type of wood can be used for any room above grade (above ground), ideally in family/living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. It can be sanded and refinished many times.Engineered woods are real wood floors manufactured using multiple layers of wood veneers. During fluctuations in temperature and humidity, this wood expands and contracts less than solid wood flooring. Engineered wood can be nailed, stapled, glued, or floated with a wood subfloor. It can also be glued to a concrete slab. This makes them perfect for below grade rooms, such as a basement. However, they can be used in rooms above grade as well. Engineered floors can be sanded and finished, and are also more stable than solid wood floors. This is very important if you desire planks that are 4” or wider.

I understand the difference, but what if I don’t want to have to refinish my floors?

A new product category in wood is actually a very old category reintroduced; oil finished floors. The best part is that oiled floors don’t require refinishing. Ever! If there is a scratch, just apply a dab of the manufacturer’s oil supplied during installation. The oil instantly coats the mark and it becomes invisible! You’ll have floors that will always look brand new. We have oiled products installed in our showroom. Come check them out because seeing is believing!

How will you test it?This is very important. The last thing you want is be shocked at your new installation. We want you to absolutely love your new floors, and one way we can ensure that is summed up in one little word: samples. We allow you to check out samples, free of charge. Bring them home for a few days in order to help you envision what your final project will truly look like.